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I smiled. “Absolutely, it’s kind of my specialty. I just need you to do a job for me.”
“What is it?”
“My son, Ethan, he’s going to need a friend like you.”
“You want me to be his friend? But what if I don’t like him?” He frowned. Smiling, I shrugged.
“You can use him for all his toys and leave.”
“You’re weird,” he replied. He was okay, as okay as a child in his situation could be, he just wanted someone to talk to him, not down to him, I could tell.
“Yeah, I know, but it’s the weird people who rule the world,” I said, rising from the chair.
“You’re going?” He frowned, looking back down at his hands. “My mom and dad keep crying and fighting. The doctors keep asking me how I am feeling…I don’t know. I don’t want to be here, but I don’t want to be there either.”
He nodded to the city outside his window.
“I have to, I’m one of the weird people who rule the world. You need to remember, Toby, your parents will always be sad too, the doctors will not leave you alone until you leave their hospital, and no one wants to go out there, you just kinda have to. It sucks, but that’s what we grownups do all the time.”
“I’ll do it,” he said when I moved to the door. “I’ll be your kid’s friend.”
I grinned. “Great, I’ll talk to your parents. But you should try getting out of bed and cleaning up, you kind of look sick.”
“I was shot.” He made a face at me.
“So was I! You don’t see me with a booger in my nose!” I exclaimed, and his eyes widened as he put his hands over his nose.
Laughing, I walked out of the room. The moment I did, his mother latched on to my arm.
“What did you say to him?” she begged. “He hasn’t said a word to us.”
In the corner of my eye, I saw Mina give me a look. “He just needed someone who wasn’t grieving. I asked him to come over to play with my sons. I hope we can work something out.”
“Thank you.” His father shook my hand more energetically this time. “Thank you.”
Nodding to them, Mina came over to me. When they walked back into the room, she lifted her phone for me to see the photo that was now trending online.
“I walked into this one.” Was this what he meant by ruining my reputation? By claiming we were having an affair? How childish.
“He’s releasing a statement already?” Mina asked, moving the phone to herself, clicking on the video.
What in the hell was wrong with this man?
“Melody…” Her eyes widened as she turned the screen back to me.
“What!” I snapped. Jesus Christ. “I do not have time for this.”
“Listen to what he’s saying!” She stuffed the earbud into my ear, replaying the video.
He stood in front of the camera, his whole body serious. “Just a few minutes ago I, along with many of you, saw a photo taken out of context by media. My advisors and staff tell me it is better not to comment on this. However, due to the double standard in our media coverage of females in power, I felt it would not be right to stand by as one of the strongest and finest governors this state has ever had is forced to comment on such a torrid photo. Not only is it not true, it is not possible, because Melody Nicci Giovanni Callahan is my half-sister.”
I wasn’t a fainting type of person.
Nothing shocked me.
But all of sudden, I couldn’t breathe anymore.
TWENTY
